Need help....any info?
 

I'm thinking of buying a truck but something doesn't add up. I am hoping someone can enlighten me or offer their thoughts.

The truck is a '73 shortbed stepside 2wd with a 350 column shift automatic. It's got 5 lug wheels and it's completely rust free.

Here's the rub: The VIN from the title decodes as a 3/4 ton 454 4bbl (CCZ243F444644)

Did they make C20 shortbed with a 454? Seems like that combination would want to swap ends when you get on the gas. If the truck is (was) what the VIN says someone changed the suspension and motor but bolted plywood over the bed wood. This just doesn't add up to me but I don't know these trucks that well.

Any thoughts?

Re: Need help....any info?
 

They did make a 1/2 ton 2wd 454 shortbed. With all 235 HP, it wouldn't swap ends as much as you might think.

I would bet the cab was swapped rather than everything else.

Re: Need help....any info?
 

your the second guy in just a few days with the same vin question.:) ccz is chevy,,,,2wd,,,,,z stands for diesel.i was in that same boat wondering what the heck ? i have a former diesel too.does it have hydoboost brake system? that's another giveaway.

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73 diesel? Sounds like a cab swap.

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your on the ball there arky.....;) .....that one slipped right by me. z is diesel so something got swapped :confused:

Re: Need help....any info?
 

CCZ243F444644
Model Year 1973
Division (unknown code)
Chassis 2 Wheel Drive
Body Style Pickup
Series 3/4-Ton
Engine V8-454 4 bbl.
Assembly Plant Flint, MI
Sequential Number 444644

This is from American Classic's decoder and I ran it on another site w/same result. I don't doubt that something was swapped; but a 5 lug 350? I hadn't even thought of a cab swap.

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your probably right.z may have been diesel in 79-80,but 454 in 73.i'm gonna check around.

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This is what I found. Cab swap makes more sense than suspension AND engine swap

1973-1975
Q=250 6 cyl.
T=292 6cyl.
X=307 V8
V=350-2
Y=350-4
U=400-4 V8
Z=454-4 V8

Re: Need help....any info?
 

your info is right on.78-79 years the ccz was a diesel vin.in 73 it was 454.so it could be original cab.if it was a diesel it would have a hydroboost,unless that got changed to.:)

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that's the issue....there's no 454 in it and with a 3/4 ton VIN I don't think it should have the 5 lug wheels either. I wanted opinions because the title doesn't really seem to fit the truck and I don't know how common that is on these older trucks.

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You are pretty much right on, according to the 1973 Chevy service manual. Is the SPID label still in the glove box, by any chance?

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There is no such thing as a 73-87 C20 shortbed, or even a K20 shortbed.

EDIT: From GM that is...but there are plenty of ppl who have made their own.

Re: Need help....any info?
 

or was it a vin and title swap?

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i think hiway hit the nail on the head.

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LMC catalog...;)

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Good to know. I have the title in hand with that VIN and this is the truck


http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...13/9d6e_12.jpg

Re: Need help....any info?
 

That is a good looking truck. :)

I once saw a 80 something short bed fleetside once on a car lot, it was a 2wd truck with five lug wheels...and it had 3/4 ton 4wd emblems on the fenders...I looked at it because it was soo clean...but thought to myself "Gee, why in the hell wouldn't they change out the emblems on the fenders if they swapped fenders?". You gotta remember, these trucks are now 20-34 years old...leaving the door wide open for owners to modify, repair these trucks, and possibly confuse the hell out of future owners.

Oh, one more thing. That truck does not have a 73 grill in it...and if it has rain gutters above the doors, then those won't be factory for a 73 either. Also, the front headlight bezels are 79-80 units, and the front signals should be amber, not clear. This truck has been messed with a lot, not that it is a bad truck, but there is a lot that has been changed. I bet of you posted pics of the inside I could point out stuff in there too...especially if it has had a cab swap.

Re: Need help....any info?
 

Jon,

Looks like a good start. Hey, I turned out okay and I have a very questionable past and ancestory!

;)

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LOL...I'm still working on the "Denying I have 27 year old kids" mod myself

Re: Need help....any info?
 

My father went and looked at the truck for me; and this IS the truck. I'm worried that the VIN tag has been changed to match a title because this doesn't appear to be the truck the title says it is.

Thanks for the information!

Re: Need help....any info?
 

Verry nice looking stepper there!

Now i'm as confused as the truck is, Are you the new owner or not?

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[QUOTE=87 STEPPER;2118542]Verry nice looking stepper there!

Now i'm as confused as the truck is, Are you the new owner or not?[/QUOTE]

I was going to send a check down to my father and have him pick it up for me then register it here in NJ and fly down with the plates and drive it back. I've talked to the "Owner" several times on the phone and he faxed me the title to do any research I wanted to do. BTW he's the second owner since '05that hasn't applied for a new title.....it's still in the name of the woman that owned it in '05

Re: Need help....any info?
 

Hummmm!

I dont know about N.J. But in Fl. you have to take the vehicle and the title to a cop shop and they have to visually check the vin #'s of both and issue a document that lets you apply for a new title in your name and lets you register it in your name as well.

They don't even know what there looking at anyways but there could be a problem.

If you don't mind me asking how much is the guy asking for it?

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3K

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Well if you what to know if alot has been done to it you could always look for the vin on the frame. (that year did have one right) problem is you not were the truck is so you cant just check it.

Either or for 3k and that clean of a truck id say go for it. With virginia law all i need is a title, truck doesnt have to be with me at dmv.

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yeah..........i can see why you were interested.nice find.i like it.

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Yeah i'd grab it for that price and if theres any snags in the paperwork that can allways be corrected one way or another.

She's a real looker:metal:

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I had a 78 Silverado 350 that had a 73-74 454 Cheyenne Super grill in it. It confused the hell out of people. Looks like the truck was missing the whole front grill when the PO got it and he went to the JY and took the grill and blacked out headlight bezels out of a 73-74 Cheyenne Super and left the clear turn signals. People always used to ask "damn does that thing really have a 454 in it?":hm:

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Thanks! I do want the truck...just trying to avoid having it wind up belonging to the government

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This is the breakdown of the listed VIN
C Chevrolet
C Conventional Cab
Z - 454 V8
2 - 20 series
4 - pickup
3 - 1973
F - Flint assembly plant
444644 - build sequence #

And the truck you pictured doen't match at all.
ALL 20 series as noted above are Longbeds from the factory.
The grille appears to be a 77-78 model (unless the trim is painted then a 79 model)
And as noted above the headlight bezels are 79-80 units.
73 wouldn't have rain gutters from the factory, BUT they were availible aftermarket, so they could be there, but the pic indicates they are not there.

I would say someone swapped cabs on the truck, check to see if the VIN is stamped on the framerail where you can see it.

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Thanks for the info. You're down in "Not-full-o-rust" country...maybe you can help us find a truck....LOL

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That looks just like my '79 C10!!! Except yer bed has the marker lights on the sides of the rear fenders, I ain't lucky enough to have those. All in all sweet truck, and for 3k if it runs as good as it looks it's just a steal.

On a side note, that is a '79 grille it has, the '80 model has those weird rectangular headlights. Also every '79 I've seen has clear markers in the grille, must have been a one-year-wonder.

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These headlight bezels aren't blacked out, unless you're talking about the headlight retaining rings. This truck's front end look exactly like my '79 Custom Deluxe C10, which AFAIK has its stock grille and chrome surrounds and marker lights.

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hmm I think he bought it or someone did Cause it on ebay and the bidding just stoped it did end tho lister ended it. I was doing to vin surching and came across it.

So did you get or did someone beat you to it cause it till a great loking truck. With the other pictures i saw.

Re: Need help....any info?
 

The listing actually ended normally with me as the high bidder- I was waiting for the last 30 seconds to bid and when I did I still didn't meet the guy's reserve but didn't have time to bid again

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a i see that sucks

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hey tripro,something similar happened to me.if you don't get in hurry a good one will come along,kinda like women.(hope my wife read that, i need some points :D ) there out there.seems like they are getting harder to find a good one that isn't going to require a bunch of rust work though.

Re: Need help....any info?
 

Thanks for all the input! Is anyone familiar with buying through some sort of "Escrow" company? The catch-22 here is he says he'll get it retitled in my name before I pick it up....however; he'd have to have my money (which makes perfect sense) before he reassigns title. If he has my money then has issues then I'm screwed.

Re: Need help....any info?
 

I would walk away. I know you want a nice truck, but title issues can get ugly. Especially title issues that require you to pay a stranger up front before you know if you can actually get the truck titled in your name. For me, at least, it is not worth the trouble.

Slonaker

Re: Need help....any info?
 

Yeah,

Id'e walk away from it unless you can afford to go where the truck is and go with john doe to the DMV and do the title xfer and make it clear to him if theres any snags in the xfer the deal is off.

But you have to be willing to take the chance and spend the money to go there for maybe nothing if the deal gos south.

I think you should look in your local area for a nice 73-87 im shure theres one somewhere near you.

Good luck.